


Don't You Remember

by Takara_Phoenix



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: (I mean it's a rebirth fic so they HAVE to die first before being reborn), Angst, Character Death, Fluff, General!Nico, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nico daughter of Demeter, Nico's Angsting A Lot, Percy daughter of Aphrodite, Pining, Prince!Percy, Rebirth, Red String of Fate, Slash, Soulmates, and Nico remembers it all, female!Percy, female!nico, in another life, in one life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 18:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14920808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takara_Phoenix/pseuds/Takara_Phoenix
Summary: Soulmates share a red string that links them together. But humans can't see it. Not even demigods can see them – aside from children of Aphrodite and children of Hades, for the Fates who tied those strings are beings of the underworld.Nico sees it, sees the red string tying him to Percy Jackson. But more than that, he can remember the past two lives he had shared with Percy's soul.Percy doesn't – and Percy can't see the string. So Nico shut off and distanced himself from Percy.





	Don't You Remember

PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || Don't You Remember || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO

Title: Don't You Remember – The Red String of Fate

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: m/m, f/f, soulmate AU, red strings, rebirth fic, pining, angst, hurt/comfort, fluff

Main Pairing: Nico/Percy

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson | Perdita McNamara | Prince Persephonus, Nico di Angelo | Nicoletta Palladino | General Nicodemos, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Jason Grace, Hazel Levesque

Summary: Soulmates share a red string that links them together. But humans can't see it. Not even demigods can see them – aside from children of Aphrodite and children of Hades, for the Fates who tied those strings are beings of the underworld. Nico sees it, sees the red string tying him to Percy Jackson. But more than that, he can _remember_ the past two lives he had shared with Percy's soul. Percy doesn't – and Percy can't see the string. So Nico shut off and distanced himself from Percy.

**Don't You Remember**

_The Red String of Fate_

Soulmates.

So many, _many_ different versions of how soulmates could work exist. So many yearning, longing dreams of what ifs. What if there was someone out there, made for you. Someone to complete you, make you feel whole? Someone who would love you, unconditionally, the way you are, because the two of you are meant to be together, to be _happy_ together?

It wasn't a coincident that this concept was so wide-spread throughout the world, because soulmates were something very real. They _existed_. They existed, but not in the way mortals pictured them. There was no sign that people could pick up on to find their soulmate. No name written on a wrist that just needed to be Googled, no timer to make sure you knew when you would meet them.

There was an invisible, red string attached to the ring finger of everyone who had a soulmate and the red string directly connected to the ring finger of that person's soulmate. It was a string of fate, a gift from the gods hidden by a thick, thick layer of Mist.

Only a select few even among demigods could see it. The children of love and the children of the underworld, because it had been forged by the Fates, in the depth of the underworld, were the only ones capable of seeing the red strings of fate, but not even all of them could – much like charmspeaking, it was a power that was only granted to a few.

Nico di Angelo was one of those few.

He could see the red string tied around his ring-finger, glowing bright and leading somewhere. It had always been there, on his hand. That was what had made Nico interested in soulmates to begin with, because he had soon noticed not everyone had a red string attached to his hand.

He started learning everything he could about soulmates when he was ten. Because that was when he met his soulmate, when the string shortened until it was mere inches long as his soulmate stood right in front of him. Percy Jackson. The boy of his dreams – quite literally, because Nico had been dreaming about him for years now, for as long as he could remember.

There were so many things that Nico needed to learn. Why did _he_ have those dreams, why did he remember Percy from past lives but Percy didn't even recognize? Nico could feel the bond buzzing, but Percy wasn't even aware that it was _there_...

Only children of the underworld and children of love could see the bond. Silena Beauregard, she could see it. Nico knew, he knew by following her line of sight, the way she used to smile secretively to herself. She could, but her younger siblings didn't seem to be able to.

Nico spoke to the Fates themselves, after he moved to the underworld. He was too heartbroken and confused by everything, trying to make sense of it. How could _his soulmate_ betray him like this? Make a promise, such an important promise as keeping Bianca safe, and then breaking it...? Not to mention how dismissive Percy had been of him? Well, not really dismissive, but... Nico had always expected _more_ when he met the person who was on the other side of his string! Instead, Percy just treated him like a total stranger. Because Nico _was_ a total stranger to Percy.

Nico was bitter about it. Very bitter. Yet regardless of how much he tried to _hate_ Percy for it, for not knowing, not _noticing_ , for breaking his promise, Nico never could. So he stuck around. Protecting Percy from the shadows throughout both wars. And finally, for the first time in his life, Nico actually started to live _past_ his soulmate. Since coming to this time, Percy had been his only anchor to the world, his only focus. But with the Giant War, Nico suddenly had... friends. A family. Hazel, Reyna and Jason. Obviously, Nico had to move to New Rome to attend high school and be close the first friends he ever made. Between having friends and going to high school, he was leading a surprisingly good and stable and _normal_ life. Sadly enough, that didn't allow Nico to shake off the pain his soulbond caused. Very often, he found himself staring at his ring-finger.

"Okay. Jason and I have talked about this and...", started Reyna as she and Jason sat down on either side of Nico. "Why do you sometimes stare at your hand and look so incredibly sad, Nico?"

"Yeah. It's worrying us a lot", agreed Jason, frowning concerned. "I mean, I saw it occasionally during the quest, but ever since you moved in with us, I saw it _a lot_ more. So...?"

"You know about soulmates", stated Nico softly, not looking up from his ring-finger.

"The red string the Fates use to tie soulmates toge—Oh", grunted Jason surprised. "So you're one of the demigods who can _see_ them? And... And you _have_ one?"

"Yes", confirmed Nico, running his thumb over the red string.

"It's... Percy, isn't it?", asked Reyna gently, reaching out to rest a hand on Nico's arm.

"...Yes", replied Nico, voice barely audible.

"Wow. Wait, why did you not... tell him?", asked Jason confused. "I mean, you are in the _unique_ position of knowing you have a soulmate, knowing who your soulmate is and knowing him personally! You could tell him, you two could be happy!"

"It's not that simple", snorted Nico and shook his head. "What? I tell him we're soulmates and suddenly he will force himself to try and be in a relationship with me? I'm not doing that to either of us. And... And there's more than just that..."

"What else is there?", asked Reyna with a frown.

"Unlike the children of Venus who can see the string, I... I'm a son of Hades. The underworld, death, _rebirth_. I actually _know_ where soulmates come from", started Nico awkwardly.

"Wait. Seriously?", asked Jason wide-eyed and sat up. "How?"

"I'd like to know that too", agreed Reyna, frowning. "Romans have tried to piece it together for millennia. Why some people have soulmates and others don't."

"Every soul is created without a soulmate", started Nico slowly.

"That is literally the opposite of what I was expecting", admitted Jason with a frown.

"Soulmates... aren't just _there_ for you to lean on. They're... formed. Earned", whispered Nico, eyes sad as he twirled the string around his finger. "Soulmates find each other. They're two people who form a deep bond with each other. The next time those souls are born, they... share a light bond and when they find each other, the bond strengthens. The more lives they shared, the stronger the bond. They pay off in the end, because after death, everyone can see their string and in Elysium, soulmates get to be together with their soulmates."

"That is... kind of amazing", whispered Reyna. "Soulmates find each other again, based on the way they formed their bond in previous lives."

"But there's more to this", suspected Jason. "Because why would you look so sad then?"

"Because I'm the son of death. I... I have memories of my past lives", replied Nico, finally looking up at them both. "I remember how I first met Percy – not how we met _in this life_ , but the very first time we met. The very first time we kissed and got together... I remember how he died in my arms, promising me we'd find each other again. I remember everything. And he... looks at me like he looks at everyone else... And it breaks my heart."

"You... You remember your past lives with Percy?", asked Jason surprised.

"Do you.. want to tell us about them?", asked Reyna gently.

Nico looked reluctant. He had never talked to anyone aside from Bianca and Hazel about this. But... they were his friends. His best friends. And he was thinking about Percy so much lately.

"How did you first meet him?", asked Jason curiously, leaning back some. " _Who_ were you?"

"I was...", started Nico. "I was a general. And he... he was a prince..."

/Nicodemos & Persephonus\

Nico straightened, checking his armor one last time to make sure everything was in place. He had just been promoted to general. It would be the first time he would meet the royal family. Well, the prince, who was currently in charge while the king was off on official business.

He had heard many things about Prince Persephonus already. He was very popular among the men. For one, because he was a fierce fighter who had gone to war alongside his men. But he was also popular in bed. Many of Nico's soldiers had boasted about sleeping with the prince.

"General Nicodemos. It's an honor to finally meet you in person."

Nico nodded, opening his mouth as though he wanted to say something. He just wasn't really sure what he wanted to say, because the prince was more beautiful than any description of him. Caramel skinned, with dark hair falling onto his shoulders in tight curls, gentle brown eyes twinkling with mischief as the prince looked at him. After a long moment, Nico managed to shake himself out of it.

/break\

"Wait. How do you know it was really Percy? What you're describing there sounds a hundred percent nothing like Percy?", interjected Jason with a confused frown.

"His soul looked the same", shrugged Nico with a frown. "Sure, _physically_ they had not much in common. Prince Persephonus was about a head shorter than Percy and less lean... But he had the same kind soul... I... He looks the same _to me_ , because I can see his soul."

"And it was love at first sight?", asked Reyna with slight fondness.

"It was for me", confirmed Nico with a wry smile. "I had never met someone like him. And when he sneaked into my room that night..."

"Hold your horses, you and Percy had _sex_? On the same day you _met_?", sputtered Jason flustered.

"Things were different back then", huffed Nico, blushing. "And it was _meant_ to just be sex. But... it... became more. We met repeatedly and when he joined me and my troops on the battlefield, we fought side by side like Achilles and Patroclus..."

"And you remember it all? The whole life?", asked Reyna.

"Everything", sighed Nico. "That's why I can't... I can't tell him. Even if I would, he doesn't _have_ those memories. He doesn't have those... feelings. So there is no point to it. I... I'm tired. It's late. I'm going to bed. Just... don't tell him about it. Good night."

Reyna heaved a sigh and leaned back. Shaking his head, Nico got up. It was getting late and he was tired, now even more than before. He loved Percy so much, every life they had shared. With an empty feeling in his heart did Nico head to bed and the last thing he was thinking before going to sleep was just how _desperately_ he wished he could share his memories of their past lives with Percy, how much he wished Percy would _remember_ , would know how much they had loved each other in the past, how... how much Nico still loved him...

/Nicodemos & Persephonus\

Nico was panting as he collapsed back against the pillows. Percy on top of him, straddling him, followed right away, curling against Nico's chest and burying his face in Nico's neck.

"I do not believe this was wise, my prince", pointed Nico out, resting a hand in Percy's neck and the other on the swell of Percy's butt. "We're going to spend a lot of time riding tomorrow."

"Eh, I'll be fine, my general", purred Percy with a sly grin, kissing Nico's neck. "I will be fine as long as I have you at my side. We'll fight well together tomorrow, yes?"

"Yes", confirmed Nico, kissing the top of Percy's head. "I..."

"Mh?", grunted Percy when Nico remained silent for too long. "What is it?"

"I love you", admitted Nico. "I know what we have is... But before we go into battle tomorrow, I have to tell you how I feel. I need you to know, in case-"

"Nothing will happen to either of us", chided Percy with a glare, grabbing Nico's face to make him look at the prince. "I... love you too, Nico. I love you and we will get out of this together."

/break\

Nico heaved a sigh as he woke up in the morning. He often dreamed about his past lives. This one was one of his favorite memories, because it had been the first time Nico and Percy had said I love you to each other. He smiled faintly as he made his way downstairs, his eyes on the red string.

It was what had allowed him to find Percy back then. He had found Percy only days after he had been abducted, but Percy had already been dropped off at Lupa's for training and Nico could not take him away from there. So Nico watched from afar, as he had been doing for years. But as long as the red string around his finger would glow brightly, his soulmate was alive and _there_.

"Hey, Nico. How are you?"

...Nico had not meant that so literally. Blinking slowly, Nico looked at the Percy sitting in the kitchen, together with a very excited Hazel and an apologetic looking Jason. Nico regretted not putting on pants when getting up this morning.

"Percy. What are you doing here...?", asked Nico slowly.

"I'm staying for a week", replied Percy with a grin. "I'm going to attend college, you know that right? But I don't have an apartment yet and Jason offered that I could crash on the couch."

That explained the apologetic looking Jason. Nico sighed and went straight for the coffee machine. If he had to endure _his soulmate_ sitting at the kitchen counter, beaming like the sun that early in the morning, then Nico definitely needed coffee. A lot of coffee.

"That's... nice", grunted Nico. "Anyone a coffee?"

"Ye—es, please", requested Percy and yawned. "I didn't sleep well last night..."

Percy blushed, much to Nico's confusion, but he was more than happy to indulge Percy with coffee. Sitting down opposite Percy and next to Hazel, Nico watched the red string shorten. It always shortened when soulmates closed in on each other – after all it wasn't a literal string that'd pile up then or have a limit. It was magic. Nico stared intensely at Percy's finger where it was attached to.

"Brother?", asked Hazel gently. "You really seem tired. You keep spacing out."

Nico shook his head and turned toward his little sister. "Yes. Studying late last night."

"You're such a serious student", sighed Percy with a pout, sinking down on his chair.

"I want to become a doctor", pointed Nico out, one eyebrow raised.

"...Point taken", huffed Percy and stuck his tongue out, being way too endearing.

This was going to be a tough couple of days to weeks...

/Nicodemos & Persephonus\

"Percy, please. Please, you can't leave me!"

Nico's face was contorted in pain as he ran as fast as he could to the tent where Prince Persephonus was being kept. They had gone to battle, the general leading the army on the South and the prince leading the army on the North. When Nico's army had returned victoriously, all he had wanted to do was embrace Percy, whirl him around in the air and carry him off to a tent to properly celebrate. Instead, a soldier had told him what had happened. That Percy had gotten hurt, was severely injured. They had done their best to stabilize him, but Percy kept getting worse. He would not last long, they had said. So Nico rushed over, needing to see him for himself.

"N... Nico...", whispered Percy weakly.

He was pale, covered in sweat. Blood-soaked bandages wrapped around his torso. Nico felt like crying and screaming as he approached Percy on shaky legs. Sinking onto his knees, he carefully pulled Persephonus closer until the prince's head was resting in his lap. Percy smiled softly.

"Please don't leave me, please, Percy, you can't leave me", begged Nico.

"I'm... sorry..", gasped Percy before coughing.

His hand was covered in blood as he pulled it again. Nico could feel the tears burning in his eyes as they rolled down his cheeks. He gently caressed Percy's hair, trying to sooth him.

"Please, my love, I... I can not go on without you", begged Nico. "Do not leave me..."

"We'll... find each other again", whispered Percy, voice weak and thin. "Again, right?"

He linked fingers with Nico and looked up at him. "Yes. Yes, I will find you. I will _always_ find you, in every life. I promise, I will find you again. I will always find you."

"Always... my general", echoed Percy, the smile on his lips serene.

Nico could see the light and life fade out of Percy's eyes. What he didn't see was the thin, red string tying itself around both their fingers. It was so much more than a promise, it was their beginning.

/break\

"You look like shit, Percy", noted Jason, eyebrows raised in a judgmental way.

Percy looked up from his black coffee to glare at Jason. Nico choked on his own coffee as he caught sight of Percy's face. Jason was right. Percy had dark bags beneath his red-rimmed eyes, like he had been crying and not spent a lot of time sleeping. Nico's eyebrows knitted in worry.

"What's... going on?", asked Nico gently.

"Nightmare", muttered Percy, running his hands over his face. "Horrible, awful nightmare."

Frowning, Nico went to the fridge and got everything out for blueberry pancakes. Percy liked sweet things for cheering up. By the time the pancakes were done, Percy had face-planted on the table and seemed asleep. Reyna raised her eyebrows as she entered the kitchen.

"Nightmare", replied Jason, motioning at Percy.

"Here. This should help", offered Nico, placing a large plate of pancakes in front of Percy.

"Blueberry pancakes?", whispered Percy hopefully, looking up.

"With strawberry syrup. Just the way you like them", smiled Nico.

Jason and Reyna exchanged a fond and knowing look as Percy started devouring the pancakes.

/break\

"Nico? Nico?", asked Hazel curiously, tugging on Nico's hand.

"Mh?", grunted Nico and shook his head.

"I didn't know you were a fan of impressionism", stated Hazel with a smile.

The siblings were in Paris, in the Louvre, looking at art. It was the up-side of being able to shadow-travel. Their bonding-trips usually spanned all of the world. Today, a bit of art. Catching up on what had been created since their own times, but also looking at the older things. They had paused in front of a painting of a beautiful dark-red haired woman in a blue dress typical for the 1880s. She wore a hat tied together under her chin and she was smiling at the viewer.

"Not really. I just... I didn't know this painting... this... that it would hang here", whispered Nico.

"Why is this one special?", asked Hazel confused. "I mean, it's pretty. But... so are the other paintings of nameless, pretty women sitting in fields. The impressionism had a thing for that."

"She's not a nameless, pretty woman", whispered Nico, staring at the painting.

"Nico?", asked Hazel carefully, eyebrows knitted, reaching out with one hand.

Nico took her hand and sighed. "It's... Percy."

"What?", grunted Hazel surprised, both eyebrows raised high. "Wait. Is that... is that the second life? You ever only told me about Percy the ancient prince. Percy was a woman?"

"We... both were", muttered Nico a little flustered. "I don't talk about it a lot, because I'm gay and it is very confusing for me to think about how much in love I was with a woman in my last life."

"Do you... want to tell me about Percy? And yourself?", inquired Hazel gently.

She rubbed her thumb in circles over the back of his hand. "Her... Her name was Perry. Perdita McNamara. And she was the most amazing woman I ever met. We were both demigods in our second lives. Perry was a daughter of Aphrodite. A real head-turner. And I... heh. I was a daughter of Demeter, actually. I loved gardening..."

"I imagine Persephone would have a field day knowing that", laughed Hazel. "How did you meet?"

"By sheer coincident. I was a young lady, living in London. Perry was... a rascal", sighed Nico with the fondest expression. "He always is, in every life, I guess. We... got to know each other through this painting. The painter, he was a friend of the family. And Perry was his model. We had met for tea that day and I was fascinated to watch her beauty in the sunlight... it was far more beautiful than the painting. Over the following weeks, to watch as the painting progressed. It took us weeks to become close friends. Well, that was all the public could know about us."

"A secret love-affair?", grinned Hazel. "And you... gardened together?"

"We hunted monsters together", countered Nico with a small grin. " _That_ is how we got met."

"Sounds about right for the two of you", chuckled Hazel fondly.

/Perdita McNamara & Nicoletta Palladino\

Nico had her hair pulled back, wearing pants and a vest as she ran along the dark alleys of London. It was a nasty place at night and Nico found it utterly delightful. She loved the vicious places, where the monsters were hiding in the dark underbelly of the city.

For weeks now had she been hunting a monster only known as Jack the Ripper. She did not know _what_ he was, but he kept slaying young women, leaving the remains of the prostitutes in the streets. Nico was going to _end_ him, as she had done ever since she had come to London.

"A—ah!"

The loud scream of a female voice told Nico exactly where to look for her prey. As she rounded the corner, she found a true beauty, in the grasp of a monster – a Manticore, hiding behind a cloak. The woman's long, red hair spilled out in wide waves, Nico literally saw red as she charged at the monster. It immediately turned toward him and tried to attack Nico, but in the end, the monster got away and when Nico went to help the young woman up, she got punched in the face.

"Ouch!", groaned Nico with a glare. "What-"

"I don't need some _man_ to save me", growled the redhead and straightened up. "I had the situation _fully_ under control, I've been hunting that Ripper bastard for weeks now. Finally, he fell for my bait and then _you_ come along and ruin everything with your masculine ego."

The beautiful, fierce redhead glared at Nico before she ran away. Nico glared after her. Women, honestly, Nico was never going to understand them...

/break\

"Well, that's one way to meet your soulmate", laughed Hazel as she and Nico sat down together at a café still in Paris. "Admit it, that's the real reason you never told me about your second life. Because you're embarrassed that you made a fool of yourself in front of Percy."

Nico glowered, crossing his arms. "Well, maybe, a little bit."

"Okay, so, if that is how you first met, then how did you get together? It doesn't really sound like Percy was much of a fan of yours", hummed Hazel thoughtfully.

"That's where the artist comes into play", replied Nico softly. "I recognized her immediately from the other night. She didn't, but... she... noticed the red string connecting our fingers. When I revealed to her who I was, that we had met the other night, we... talked, both admitting to being demigods and hunting Jack the Ripper. Percy was a territorial one back then, telling me to leave because London was hers to protect. We had encounters at night multiple times a week, but it was a rivalry. Only when we actually caught Jack the Ripper together, out of necessity, did we notice what an amazing team we could be. So pleasantries during tea turned into... genuine interest. The rivalry at night turned into a chase, two predators together against their prey. It was... exhilarating."

"And how did you _actually_ get together?", asked Hazel curious, a small grin on her lips.

"Oh, just... confessed and kissed and that was it", shrugged Nico dismissively, clearing his throat. "Anyway, I think we should really get back home."

"If you say so, big brother", chuckled Hazel, dropping the topic.

/Perdita McNamara & Nicoletta Palladino\

"Lady Perdita, your... visitor. Lady Nicoletta Palladino."

Perry blinked slowly and turned away from the painting she was working on. Having modeled for weeks now, she had started to paint a little for herself. Smiling pleased, she straightened as she saw Nico approach. Tonight was the night, Perry could feel it in her veins. Her blood drumming hard in her ears, eager for the hunt. After the servant left the room, Nico began to change. She had brought her gentlemanly outfit along with her. Perry's cheeks heated up as she saw the lean figure of the other woman slowly uncovered. There was a special kind of beauty to Nico in the black slacks and the black vest, pine-stripe shirt and with her hair pinned up.

"We're going to catch the Ripper tonight, Perry", promised Nico, fierce determination in her eyes.

Perry nodded slowly, cheeks still feeling hot. She had never had a nickname before, but then Nico had entered her life and told her that she was not a Perdita, not a well-behaved lady. She was fierce, wild. Perry. Honestly, Perry really liked the nickname. She liked a lot of things concerning Nico.

"Let's go and catch ourselves a killer, _Lord_ Palladino", teased Perry with a grin.

"With you, every night, Lady McNamara", replied Nico with a wink.

Two hours later had the two demigoddesses standing over a pile of monster-ash. The fight had been hard and rough, the chase had been exhilarating. Finally having slayed the monster they had been chasing for so long gave Perry a high feeling. In utter excitement, not thinking about her actions, Perry pinned Nico against the wall behind them and kissed her like she had never kissed a man before. Like she was _supposed_ to only kiss men. Nico was frozen for a long moment before she wrapped her arms around Perry's waist and pulled the redhead even closer. As they broke the kiss, Perry looked at her ring finger, where the thin, pale string was glowing brighter than ever before. She knew the other end was tied around Nico's finger, something that had utterly confused the daughter of Aphrodite when she had first noticed. But in this moment right now, she _understood_.

/break\

Nico startled and nearly fell out of his bed when his door was opened nearly violently so, banging against the wall. In the doorway stood a very ruffled, frustrated and annoyed looking Percy. Blinking slowly, Nico put his book down. Percy had bid them all good night two hours ago. He was being very tired lately, drinking a lot of coffee, having bangs beneath his eyes.

"Percy? Are you alright?", asked Nico concerned, sitting up.

"No!", exclaimed Percy frustrated before he stalked up to Nico's bed and flopped down.

The son of Hades stared in surprised confusion at his soulmate. Percy Jackson, curled together right next to Nico. The red string tying them together was barely three inches long, as Nico had his hand next Percy. He couldn't help but inch closer, until their hands were touching. He made it look as though he was just trying to gain Percy's attention, but in reality he was just tracing the red string around Percy's finger. It was thick – strong – and bright. Three life-times.

"What's wrong, Perce?", asked Nico gently.

"I can't sleep", sighed Percy, hands on his face. "I mean, I do sleep. But... But then I have those dreams but they don't feel like dreams and they're driving me crazy, Nico. I know you... you can walk into dreams, right? Can you like... make them stop?"

"Nightmares?", asked Nico, eyebrows knitted in concern. "About... About _Tartarus_ still?"

Blinking slowly, Percy looked up. "No, not for months. But... how do you... Oh. You...?"

Nico's cheeks flushed as he averted his eyes. "Well, yes. It wasn't exactly a secret that you had nightmares after the war. You're the son of Poseidon. Your nightmares come with violent rain-storms. So, I... used my powers to... dampen the nightmares."

"...Thank you", whispered Percy softly, staring at Nico in surprise.

"So, if it's not about Tartarus, then what are your nightmares about?", asked Nico.

"I...", started Percy slowly and curled together in a way that he could face Nico. "I don't really know. It's hard to explain. And they're not all nightmares. One was. It was... horrible. I was... dying. Like, really dying. And you were there. You were... making me promises. I was so afraid of dying, but you... you promised me you'd always find me, in... every life? It was really weird."

Nico froze, staring in silent surprise at Percy, unable to say anything. Those words, those exact words... But it couldn't possibly be, could it? Percy was frowning as he looked at Nico.

"They just... keep getting weirder and weirder though", sighed Percy as he continued. "Like, we're going to battle together. I was a prince, which was pretty cool. But now I'm having wet-dreams about Victorian era lesbians killing Jack the Ripper and I'm _really confused_."

"That's not...", started Nico, just as confused.

"The weirdest thing", continued Percy, gesturing wildly. "At first, my dreams were all, well, like... from _your_ perspective. Which was just the strangest. But now... I mean, that feels more right, right? Me dreaming from _my_ perspective, because me dreaming of being you is just weird. But we're like... _together_ in every single one of those dreams. Together-together. And I don't know if my sub-conscience wants to tell me something there, probably maybe I guess, but in the, uh, hot lesbian ones, we're... we're _soulmates_. Because I'm totally a daughter of Aphrodite in those, you know? And I can see a red string tying our hands together."

"That can't be", whispered Nico, wide-eyed as he stared at Percy.

"It's just dreams. But they're weird. Like, they're... emotionally draining?",sighed Percy. "Like, the one about dying. It just... hurts. Like it's real. I just... can you check? Maybe? And..."

"No, I mean, it _can't be_ ", sighed Nico and shook his head. "I... I must have... accidentally left the door open, or something. Pulled you into my dreams. On instinct. I was... I was _so_ frustrated and angry that you didn't remember... all... all I wanted was for you to remember. And talking about it with Reyna and Jason made me think about it so much that _I_ dreamed about it. I must have pulled you into my dreams subconsciously because I wanted you to remember. But that still doesn't explain why you'd have dreamed from Perry's perspective..."

"Wait. How do you know that name? Perry. But, why... what are you talking about?", asked Percy frustrated, glaring at Nico as he sat up straight. "Seriously, you're not making sense."

Nico hesitated, looking at Percy slowly. But if Percy was now remembering on his own, triggered by the memories Nico had accidentally shared, maybe it was time for Nico to fess up. Tracing the string on his fingers, Nico concentrated all of his power on it, to make it visible. Percy gasped.

"I can only make them temporarily visible because it's draining, but... I can always see it", whispered Nico. "Perks of being a son of Hades. Linked to fate. You and I, we're... soulmates. We became soulmates when Prince Persephonus died in the arms of General Nicodemos. We were heroes together, we loved each other and we made a promise to always find each other again. So the Fates tied our souls together. And we did find each other, as Lady Perdita McNamara and Lady Nicoletta Palladino. As demigods in London, hunting monsters like Jack the Ripper together."

"So... So all of those dreams... all of them... were real?", asked Percy in awe as he traced the red string with careful, gentle fingers. "It's beautiful. Far brighter and... and thicker than in my dreams... memories... It grows stronger? With... every life that we... find each other?"

"Yes", confirmed Nico, also tracing their string, until their fingers touched.

"And... you knew the whole time?", asked Percy, looking into Nico's eyes. "When we first met, you already knew? You saw... Is that why you were so _clingy_ back then?"

"...Yes", admitted Nico with red cheeks. "I was... so amazed that my soulmate was a great hero. But before I could tell you, Bianca... and... and then it was just too much. You didn't _remember_ our past lives. You didn't remember our love. And you had... broken the promise. I know you didn't do it on purpose. I know what happened to Bianca wasn't your fault and I stopped blaming you years ago. But I was bitter, about... all the memories only I had. You never... looked at me as anything but a friend. An annoying brat, at first even. And it... broke my heart."

"I'm sorry", whispered Percy, grasping Nico's hand. "I'm sorry for not remembering and... and I can't imagine what it must have been like for you, to remember all of those things... I... I'm sorry I never... looked at you the way you... I mean, _do_ you...?"

"I love you more than my life, Percy", whispered Nico honestly, holding Percy's gaze.

"Okay", nodded Percy and leaned in very slowly. "I... I'm sorry I never... You're right, I saw you as a child when we first met and I never... really stopped seeing you as Bianca's little brother who I had failed. But... those dreams... I've... In the past weeks I've started to realize... to see you... in a different light. As a... As the person you are _now_ , not the person you used to be. Heh. Kind of ironic considering it's our past lives that made me realize that. But... But if you're willing to give me a second chance, I'd... like to spend a third life with you, Nico. Make memories of our own?"

Nico stared at him in amazement and surprise. This was all he had ever dreamed of. Slowly, Nico also leaned in, until their lips touched in a gentle kiss. As gentle as every first kiss their souls had shared so far. Nico smiled into the kiss as he was _finally_ reunited with his soulmate.

_~*~ The End ~*~_

**Author's Note:**

> Whoop! This is actually the 200th fic I've written with Nicercy as the main couple! :O *hands out glasses of champagne and orange juice for the minors* Kinda befitting that it's a soulmate AU! xD


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